Climate Audit of the EU's Foreign Policy

The EU aims to mainstream climate into all foreign policy channels via the European Green Deal, but faces challenges in translating announcements into action. The report recommends that the EU solidify its credibility by avoiding misaligned gas infrastructure investments, institutionalising climate mainstreaming across all foreign policy decision-making, shifting from a technical to a geopolitical approach to climate diplomacy, and strengthening the 'Team Europe' approach to improve coordination between EU institutions and Member States.

• The EU risks losing its diplomatic soft power and credibility as a global climate leader due to perceived hypocrisy, specifically regarding the 'dash for gas' and public funding for future stranded gas infrastructure following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
• To effectively mainstream climate into foreign policy, the EU must move beyond treating it as an afterthought by creating institutional structures, securing adequate resources, and anchoring climate in high-level leadership priorities.
• The EU's current climate diplomacy is primarily technical and focused on UNFCCC negotiations; it needs to transition to a holistic geopolitical approach that integrates climate into trade, finance, investment, industrial policy, and foreign security.
• Improving the 'Team Europe' approach is essential for coordinating foreign climate policy between EU institutions and Member States, requiring a shared long-term vision and the pooling of resources.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2023). Climate Audit of the EU's Foreign Policy. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/climate-audit-of-the-eus-foreign-policy

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. Climate Audit of the EU's Foreign Policy. 2023. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/climate-audit-of-the-eus-foreign-policy.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=Climate Audit of the EU's Foreign Policy |date=28 April 2023 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/climate-audit-of-the-eus-foreign-policy |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2023climate, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{Climate Audit of the EU's Foreign Policy}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2023}, month = apr, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/climate-audit-of-the-eus-foreign-policy}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }